Murder in the Merchant's Hall

October 12, 2015
In Emerson’s able second Mistress Jaffrey mystery set in Tudor England (after 2014’s Murder in the Queen’s Wardrobe), Godlina Walkenden quarrels violently with her brother-in-law, London mercer Hugo Hackett, over his plans to marry her to Allesandro Portinari, an Italian silk merchant she suspects of having syphilis. When Hackett’s wife
discovers Lina holding a knife over his bloody corpse, Lina flees the city and seeks help from Lady Susanna Appleton (the protagonist of Emerson’s Face Down series) and Rosamund Jaffrey, an unconventional gentlewoman with experience in intelligence gathering. Rosamund, aided by her husband, Rob, and Lady Susanna, exploits her skills in languages and disguise to investigate suspects, including Allesandro and Hackett’s vindictive widow. The stakes rise when the extensive secret inquiries of the Elizabeth I’s spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham, overlap with their own. Complex family backstory slows the opening, but evocative period detail and the warmth of Rosamund’s byplay with Rob make for a satisfying read. Agent: Christina Hogrebe, Jane Rotrosen Agency.

December 15, 2015
When Rosamond Jaffrey's friend Lina Walkenden is accused of murdering her brother-in-law and guardian, Rosamond is convinced that Lina is innocent. Vowing to help find the real killer, Rosamondunlike most women living in the sixteenth centuryisn't above donning disguises, carrying a weapon to defend herself, and traveling about London in ways usually forbidden to females. Although she's not new to murder investigations, having worked for Sir Francis Walsingham, spymaster for Elizabeth I, Rosamond faces a tough one here, what with conflicting stories, unconfirmed alibis, a plethora of suspects, and a growing fear that Lina did indeed kill her uncle. Meanwhile, she is temporarily distracted by another mystery that puts her back in contact with the dangerous Walsingham. This fine new addition to Emerson's popular historical series offers a genuinely gripping mystery, an appealing protagonist, and an eye-opening look at London life during the Renaissance. A solid choice for English-history buffs who like to mix mystery with period detail.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)